Chester 949 Turret Mill, Good Buy?

D

Deema

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Being absolutely new to this forum, firstly I’d like to apologise if I’ve posted this in the wrong section.
I’ve just bought a Chester 949 Turret mill! It was a bit of whim purchase as these things go. I’d bought a brazing harth from a really nice chap who’d reached the age where the physical effort to continue his metal work hobby was now proving too much for him. Whilst collecting the harth and sharing a cup of coffee we started chatting about what he had made and I admired his Turret mill that had pride of place in the middle of his workshop. He said he had bought it from a university that had used it for a specific experiment and that he had had it for a number of years and looked after it. It appeared to be immaculate, well looked after, no rust, dings or obvious billy do‘s on the beds. Anyway, he said he was looking to sell it to a good home and I seemed a nice chap would I be interested in it. We agreed a price and I collected it a couple of days ago. Now, I don’t know anything about turret Mills, other than Bridgefords are highly desirable mills and have a highly versatile design. This is a clone machine, I appreciate. Looking on line I can’t find any information about this model.....which may be a bad omen that not many were sold / very unpopular.

So, after a long ramble, and please be brutally honest, I’d rather know, have a bought a lemon, or a really nice machine?

He was very generous and threw in everything he had that was specific to the mill, there is all sorts, vice, rotary table, indexing head and a system to covert it into a horizontal milling machine to name a few of the bits. Some things I just haven't a clue what they are! Id like advise on what some bits are when I can work out how to up load photos.
 
Pictures! Sounds like you did well
billy-do's- I like that, must be a UK-ism
-Mark
 
I have a Bridgeport clone. I have never found the slightest detail of any significance that is different.
 
Oh my gosh, we so need to see some pictures.
Sounds like OneHellaVa score!

Deema said:
Being absolutely new to this forum, firstly I’d like to apologise if I’ve posted this in the wrong section.
I’ve just bought a Chester 949 Turret mill! It was a bit of whim purchase as these things go. I’d bought a brazing harth from a really nice chap who’d reached the age where the physical effort to continue his metal work hobby was now proving too much for him. Whilst collecting the harth and sharing a cup of coffee we started chatting about what he had made and I admired his Turret mill that had pride of place in the middle of his workshop. He said he had bought it from a university that had used it for a specific experiment and that he had had it for a number of years and looked after it. It appeared to be immaculate, well looked after, no rust, dings or obvious billy do‘s on the beds. Anyway, he said he was looking to sell it to a good home and I seemed a nice chap would I be interested in it. We agreed a price and I collected it a couple of days ago. Now, I don’t know anything about turret Mills, other than Bridgefords are highly desirable mills and have a highly versatile design. This is a clone machine, I appreciate. Looking on line I can’t find any information about this model.....which may be a bad omen that not many were sold / very unpopular.

So, after a long ramble, and please be brutally honest, I’d rather know, have a bought a lemon, or a really nice machine?

He was very generous and threw in everything he had that was specific to the mill, there is all sorts, vice, rotary table, indexing head and a system to covert it into a horizontal milling machine to name a few of the bits. Some things I just haven't a clue what they are! Id like advise on what some bits are when I can work out how to up load photos.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for all of your kind replies. I’m sooooo frustrated right now, since buying the mill and dropping it into the workshop I haven’t had a chance to get out to it with other commitments.
Anyway, I have a couple of what are probably lame queries, that I’d appreciate some help with.
1. what’s the best way to clean out the suds tank? The tank appears to be incorporated into the base casting with almost zero access!! Last night I did sneak out and lift one of the two tiny grates to look what was in it.....,brown horrid stuff! So, I don’t want to pump it out with the suds pump and have ordered a siphon pump, however access is so bad I can’t think of a way of cleaning out any residue or chips / swarf that will remain. How do you guys do it?

2. Im ordering the lubricants to maintain it properly. I’m based in the UK and one that’s sort of specified is a W10 spindle oil......Yep that’s the entire description of what’s required. It goes into the head. The only stuff I seem to be able to track down comes in 20 litre buckets......anyone know of a good source for 1litre?

3. Finally the Machine came with the slotting head or E head. It looks to be virtually brand new and the chap said he only ever used it once. Anyone know what lubricants will be required for this? I’m guessing something will be required for the worm gear?

I promise to get some photos once I get a workshop pass issued!
 
Some kind of nerve coming on this forum telling us about this 'potentially' awesome machine and no photos. You're killing us here.......... :frown:
 
Well, Chester has quite the selection of milling machines and it appears that they are still in business, so I would think that they should be able to supply you with a manual or what ever information you need for your mill.

www.chestermachinetools.com

Chester Machine Tools - Milling Machines

We are market leading Milling Machine suppliers and our comprehensive range covers industrial, manufacturing and educational applications.
www.chestermachinetools.com www.chestermachinetools.com

Ted
 
Thanks Ted, I’d already contacted Chester Tools, they dont sell the model any more, but did try to help. They believed there would be an emptying plug (which I can’t find) in the base somewhere to empty the sump. They said for the spindle I could use 10W30 motor oil. I’m not sure about using motor oil and would prefer to find some proper spindle oil. what are your thoughts?
Anyway, I finally yesterday got sometime to play with my new toy.
I cleaned out the sump using the small access panel on the back. That is one job I’d not like to do again. Has anyone come up with a beat solution to allow the use of an external tank and keep the sump dry? After about 5 hours I finally got to the point where I could see the original yellow paint inside the sump! You couldn’t eat your dinner off it, but for me it’s clean enough! What came out can best described as congealed gravey!
i took the sump pump impeller apart and gave that a good clean too.
The wiring needs some attention, and I’m going to redo most if it. A VFD has been moUnited inside to convert it to single phase and its a bit if a birds nest.
I’ve clocked the length of the table, it’s an extra long table and for about 80% of the length of the table there is no deviation. The last say 20%, the end opposite the drive with the fixed handle the clock ramped up slowly to give 6 microns lift. This was consistent measured on different parts of the table. If I unlocked the other axes, and repeated the same measurement I got at the same point 10 microns.
Checking a fixed point in the Saddle, the Saddle moves 5 microns at the corresponding point of table movement.
Checking a fixed point in the actual knee, it moves 2 or 3 microns At the corresponding point of table movement.

Is this worth trying to correct, and if so, am I right in assuming it’s the gribs that need tightening, If not what else could it be.

i promise to get some photos up tomorrow so you can see what it looks like.

thanks for all your help
John
 
Last edited:
John,
I'm a little confused by the term "suds tank", but you refer to a sump in the machine base, so I'm assuming that is the reservoir for coolant/cutting fluid. If that is the case, I wouldn't use motor oil. Use a proper cutting oil/coolant product. There are many available from various machinery suppliers. I personally don't use any flood coolant on my BP mill just because for my hobby purposes it just isn't necessary. In terms of other lubricants for the mill, I use Mobil Vactra 2 for way oil and Mobil DTE 26 oil for the spindle cup oilers.

Ted
 
Hi Ted,
I’m not certain sometimes what to call things. However, your right for me the suds tank is the tank built into the base of the machine that holds the coolant. I really appreciate your view on flood coolant, the machine is for hobby use. If I don’t need flood coolant that would be a blessing. I had visions of being drenched in the stuff!
Again my bad explanation and grasp of English about the intended use of Motor oil, I’ve edited my original post so it now I hope makes more sense. I’ve been trying to find a good source for the lubricant used in the spindle cups so that I don’t have to buy a drum of It. Chester machine tools had suggested motor oil, which is where that came from, sorry to have given the wrong impression that I was planning in using it as a coolant. Anyway. I will have a look for a small pot of what you use. I’ve purchased the same way oil that you use, that’s sticky stuff!
The machine came with a copy of the manual but it’s very vague on the spindle cup lubricant to be used.
 
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